法苑珠林 82.53

82.53

後南梁襄陽景空寺釋法聰。南陽新野人。卓然神正性潔如玉。蔬藿是甘無求滋饌。因至襄陽繖蓋山白馬泉。築室方丈。以為栖心之宅。入谷兩所置蘭若舍。今巡山者尚識故基焉。初梁晉安王承風來問。將至禪室。馬騎相從。無故却退。王慚而返。夜感惡夢。後更再往。馬退如故。王乃潔齋躬盡虔敬。方得進見。初至寺側。但覩一谷猛火洞然。良久佇望。忽變為水。經停傾仰。時水滅堂現。以事相詢。乃知爾時入水火定也。堂內所坐繩床兩邊。各有一虎。王不敢進聰乃以手按頭著地。閉其兩目召王令前。方得展禮。因告境內多弊虎災。請聰救援。聰即入定。須臾有十七大虎來至便與受三歸戒。勅勿犯暴百姓。又命弟子。以布繫諸虎頸。滿七日已當來於此。王至期日設齋眾集。諸虎亦至。便與飲食解布。遂爾無害。其日將王臨白馬泉。內有白龜。就聰手中取食。謂王曰。此是雄龍。又臨靈泉。有五色鯉魚。亦就手食。云此是雌龍。王與群吏嗟賞其事。大施而旋。有凶左右數十壯人。夜來欲劫所施之物。遇虎哮吼遮遏其道。又見大人倚立禪室。傍有松樹止到其膝。執金剛杵將有守護。竟夜迴遑日午方返。王怪其來方以事首。遂表奏聞。初聰住禪堂。每有白鹿白雀馴服栖止。行往所及慈救為先。因見屠者驅猪百餘頭。聰三告曰。解脫首楞嚴。猪遂繩解散去。諸屠大怒。將事加手。並仡然不動。便歸悔過罪。因斷殺業。又於漢水漁人牽網。如前三告。引網不得。方復歸心空網而返。又荊州苦旱。長沙寺遣僧至聰所請雨。使還大降。陂池皆滿。後卒於江陵天宮寺。即是梁太初年也。其寺現有碑記。

Later, under the Southern Liang, there was the śramaṇa Shi Facong of Jingkong Temple in Xiangyang. He was a native of Xinye in Nanyang. Outstandingly upright in spirit, his nature was as pure as jade. He was content with greens and legumes, seeking no rich delicacies. He subsequently came to White Horse Spring on Mount Sangai in Xiangyang, where he built a room one zhang square to serve as a dwelling to settle his mind. He entered the valley in two places and established āraṇya hermitages; those patrolling the mountain today still recognize their old foundations. At first, the Prince of Jin'an of the Liang, having heard of his reputation, came to inquire of him. Just as he approached the meditation cell, accompanied by horsemen, the mounts stepped backward without cause. The prince returned ashamed, and that night he experienced a bad dream. Later he went again, and the horses retreated as before. The prince then purified himself with fasting and personally displayed utter reverence; only then was he able to enter and see him. When he first arrived at the side of the temple, he saw only a valley ablaze with fierce fire. Gazing and waiting for a good while, it suddenly turned into water. After pausing and looking on in admiration for a moment, the water vanished and the hall appeared. When he inquired about the matter, he learned that [Facong] was at that time entering the water and fire samādhis. On either side of the corded chair where Facong sat in the hall, there was a tiger. The prince did not dare advance. Facong then pressed their heads to the ground with his hands, closed their eyes, and summoned the prince forward; only then was he able to pay his respects. The prince then reported that his territory was sorely plagued by the calamity of tigers and requested Facong's help. Facong immediately entered samādhi. In a moment, seventeen large tigers arrived. He then conferred the three refuges and precepts upon them, enjoining them not to harm or assault the common people. He also instructed a disciple to tie cloths around the tigers' necks, [saying,] 'When seven full days have passed, you must come here.' On the appointed day, the prince held a vegetarian feast and the assembly gathered; the tigers arrived as well. [Facong] then gave them food and drink and untied the cloths, after which they caused no harm. On that day he led the prince to White Horse Spring, within which was a white turtle that took food directly from Facong's hand. He said to the prince, 'This is a male dragon.' They also went to the Numinous Spring, where there was a five-coloured carp that likewise took food from his hand. He said, 'This is a female dragon.' The prince and his officers sighed in admiration at these events, gave lavish donations, and returned. There were several dozen rough men among the attendants who came by night intending to plunder the donated goods. They met roaring tigers blocking their path, and also saw a giant standing beside the meditation cell; a pine tree beside him reached only to his knees. Holding a vajra pestle, he was on guard. Pacing restlessly throughout the night, they returned only at noon. The prince found their arrival strange, and only then did they confess the matter. He subsequently submitted a memorial reporting it. When Facong first lived in the meditation hall, white deer and white sparrows would constantly perch and dwell there tamely. Wherever he went, compassionate rescue was his priority. Seeing a butcher driving over a hundred pigs, Facong called out three times, 'Liberation! Śūraṅgama!' The pigs' ropes then came undone and they scattered. The butchers were furious and were about to strike him, but they all stood stiffly unable to move. They then returned to repent their wrongdoing and consequently discontinued the karma of killing. Again, on the Han River, fishermen were pulling in nets. As before, he called out three times, and they were unable to pull the nets; only then did their hearts turn, and they returned with empty nets. Furthermore, Jingzhou suffered a severe drought. Changsha Temple dispatched a monk to Facong's dwelling to pray for rain. When the messenger returned, heavy rain fell, filling the pools and ponds. Later he died at Tiangong Temple in Jiangling; this was in the early years of the Liang. A stele inscription still exists at that temple.